Transit Sam, Week of June 26, 2013

Transit Sam says the city Dept. of Transportation has agreed to put alternate side parking signs back near this Citi Bike station on Watts St., as a result of a question posed by a Downtown Express reader. Downtown Express photo by Marisa Cortright.

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING IS IN EFFECT ALL WEEK

June is Pride month, and this weekend is packed with events: The kick-off rally will take place 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at Pier 26 on West St., which means attendees will be crossing the highway at the crosswalk on Laight St. during rush hour.
Watch out again for highway crossings at Laight St. for events at the same location: Rapture on the River 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Dance on the Pier 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Pridefest will close Hudson St. between Abingdon Square Park and W 13th St. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The March will begin noon Sunday in Midtown (36th St. and Fifth Ave.), head down Fifth Ave., turn west on E 8th St., and take Stonewall Pl., ending at Christopher and Greenwich Sts.

All lanes of the Manhattan-bound Lincoln Tunnel “helix” (the spiral approach road to the tunnel) will close 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Wednesday and Thursday nights. This means a lot of the inbound traffic will be diverted to the Holland Tunnel, and onto Varick, West, and Canal Sts.

The Sixth Avenue Festival will close Sixth Ave. between W. Houston St. and Waverly Pl. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

Follow me on Twitter @gridlocksam.

From the mailbag:
Dear Transit Sam,
The south side of Watts St. between Greenwich and Washington has been “No Parking Tues and Fri” for years. All of the parking signs were removed for the installation of Citi Bike. The only new sign is “No Standing Anytime” at the corner where the Citi Bikes start, with a double arrow indicating the ENTIRE block is “No Standing.” Can you please look into this?
Janet, Manhattan
Dear Janet,
I checked this out myself and found that you are correct: the only parking sign on the side of the street with the Citi Bike station is a ‘No Standing Anytime’ sign. Apparently the ASP sign was overlooked. But don’t fret – Transit Sam is here. I spoke with DOT and they will be installing alternate side parking signs for the rest of the block in the next few weeks. In the meantime, any cars parked, stopped, or standing on that side could be ticketed.
Transit Sam

2 Responses to Transit Sam, Week of June 26, 2013

“Transit Sam says the city Dept. of Transportation has agreed to put alternate side parking signs back near this Citi Bike station on Watts St., as a result of a question posed by a Downtown Express reader. ”

Sam,

Similar to this other Downtown Express reader, I asked you two weeks ago if you knew why DOT didn’t just move the controversial CitiBike station out of Petrosino Square and onto the Lafayette Street roadbed, as requested by CB2, all the electeds, and diverse local organizations.

DOT has refused to explain to these people why they refuse to move it.

You said you would inquire of DOT? What was the results of your efforts, may I ask?

Not hearing any response in this column for two weeks, are we correct to assume that DOT is also stonewalling you, a former top man at DOT and a world-recognized traffic expert?

How about this? The police will not ticket persons on citibikes who ride mounted around on the sidewalks of Petrosino Square because they are assuming that, like car garages, the vehicles must be driven in and out, therefore may be legally mounted on Parkland and sidewalk, according to Captain Mark Iocco of the fifth precinct at Wednesday night's Community Council meeting. I am the woman who has been dubbed "Troll Woman" because I ask people to walk their bikes on the sidewalk in the park. I never had a car and i rode bicycles all of my youth and middle age. Can you help an old woman who is quickly falling out of love with New York City and her neighbors? Will you talk with the DOT about the silliness of turning friends into enemies, not to mention the foolishness of violating state public trust laws? PLEASE. Thank you.